Predators Lose to Red Wings in Nashville

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2 Tuesday night at Nashville Arena. Jiri Hudler, Kyle Calder, and Valterri Filppula all scored as the Red Wings expanded a 2-1 lead after two periods to the three-goal margin by the final buzzer.

Jiri Hudler put the Red Wings up 3-1 with 1:24 expired in the third period, but Martin Erat pulled the Predators to within one with a 5-on-3 power-play goal 5:07 into the third. Calder scored with 2:02 remaining in regulation to make it 4-2, then Filppula exploited a Predators breakdown to add an insurance goal with 1:21 left.

Kirk Maltby's goal 4:30 into the second period put the Red Wings ahead going into the third. Robert Lang put the Red Wings on the scoreboard first with a goal 1:39 into the game. Rookie winger Alexander Radulov evened the score for the Predators at 7:02 of the first on the power play.

Nashville had three opportunities with a manpower advantage over the opening 20 minutes and stayed out of the penalty box themselves to keep Detroit's power play units on the bench. Jordin Tootoo was directly responsible for Nashville's first power play, drawing a high-sticking penalty from a frustrated Mathieu Schneider after Tootoo delivered a big hit on the Red Wings defenseman seconds earlier. Radulov's goal came while Schneider sat in the box. David Legwand entered the offensive zone on the right side during a rush, drawing two Detroit defenders to his side of the ice. Legwand sent a backhand pass to Radulov alone in the high slot, and the sharpshooter's rocket beat goaltender Chris Osgood cleanly to tie the game at 1-1.

Nashville outshot Detroit 13-4 in the first. Lang got the Red Wings' goal after Kyle Calder came in on right wing, hit the post and was stopped by netminder Tomas Vokoun. A group of players gathered in front around the loose puck and it popped higher into the slot where Lang sent it through traffic and past Vokoun.

The Predators found themselves at the wrong end of the referees' whistles in the second period, giving the Red Wings three cracks at the power play while earning only one for themselves. As a result, the shot total was understandably lopsided in Detroit's favor at 15-5. Neither team converted on the power play in the second, however. Matlby's goal was the result of a play by Kris Draper in the right corner of Nashville's zone. Valterri Filppula sent the puck down to Draper, who banked a centering feed off the right post from behind the goal line. The pass made its way in front where Maltby was able to roof it over Vokoun.